Smart books, 10 minutes at a time?
January 1, 2015 9:26 AM Subscribe
Baby #3 is coming soon and I'm looking for books to read during maternity leave. I know from experience that I need quick, light material that can be read in very short bursts - nothing that relies on subtle atmospherics or requires sustained attention to 'get in to'. But I'd also like something well-written and smart enough that I don't feel like I'm letting my brain turn into nothing but mush and breast milk. Only other stipulations - not too bro-centric (eg. not revolving entirely around the sexual frustrations of an egocentric middle-aged dude); nothing prominently featuring ill/dying/suffering children and/or parents (hormones, yo). Fiction or non-fiction OK, all genres welcome!
Also Animal, Vegetable, Miracle or High Tide in Tucson by Barbara Kingsolver.
And go ahead and throw in Child of Mind by Ellyn Satter to save you some grief when it comes to feeding your baby when they get older.
posted by dawkins_7 at 9:31 AM on January 1, 2015
And go ahead and throw in Child of Mind by Ellyn Satter to save you some grief when it comes to feeding your baby when they get older.
posted by dawkins_7 at 9:31 AM on January 1, 2015
Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 9:31 AM on January 1, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 9:31 AM on January 1, 2015 [3 favorites]
I'm 3/4ths of the way through Outlaw Marriages: The Hidden Histories of Fifteen Extraordinary Same-Sex Couples (which I'm sure was a MeFi find at some point) and I'd recommend it for exactly the kind of reading you've asked for. The writing is middling but the stories are fascinating, and each couple's profile is self-contained and quite short.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:34 AM on January 1, 2015
posted by DarlingBri at 9:34 AM on January 1, 2015
Have you ever read any of James Thurber's collections?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 9:34 AM on January 1, 2015
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 9:34 AM on January 1, 2015
Lydia Davis's short stories! I would begin with the Collected Stories, but the new one (Can't and Won't) is good too.
They are witty, and sometimes very short (like a paragraph).
I would also recommend the poetry of Anne Carson.
posted by coastisclear at 9:38 AM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
They are witty, and sometimes very short (like a paragraph).
I would also recommend the poetry of Anne Carson.
posted by coastisclear at 9:38 AM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: For the past couple years, which have been particularly intellectually demanding for me, I've loved Terry Pratchett's Discworld series for this purpose. They're light in tone, but wonderfully smart and endlessly amusing. And there are enough that if you finish the series, you'll have forgotten enough of the early ones that you can start all over again.
I've got a mix of ebooks and paperbacks, so I can read in whatever mode is most convenient.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:43 AM on January 1, 2015 [4 favorites]
I've got a mix of ebooks and paperbacks, so I can read in whatever mode is most convenient.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:43 AM on January 1, 2015 [4 favorites]
He's rather ubiquitous these days, but David Sedaris could fit the bill!
posted by Middlemarch at 9:56 AM on January 1, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Middlemarch at 9:56 AM on January 1, 2015 [3 favorites]
CONGRATS on the new one! Here are some bite-size suggestions from around the way:
http://www.brainpickings.org/
http://www.longform.org
http://www.longreads.com
http://blog.oup.com/
MeFi, of course
Each of these sites offers quite a variety of material that is quick and dirty. That said, you might be looking for something a bit more meaty. So, I could offer a lot more of these, but since I'm not sure they exactly fit the bill, I'll stop here.
Have FUN!
posted by learnsome at 10:07 AM on January 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
http://www.brainpickings.org/
http://www.longform.org
http://www.longreads.com
http://blog.oup.com/
MeFi, of course
Each of these sites offers quite a variety of material that is quick and dirty. That said, you might be looking for something a bit more meaty. So, I could offer a lot more of these, but since I'm not sure they exactly fit the bill, I'll stop here.
Have FUN!
posted by learnsome at 10:07 AM on January 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
"Best American $Whatever 2014" -- short stories, travel writing, sports writing, science & nature writing, mysteries, essays, etc. -- are always worthwhile and make great short reads. I usually find about half the selections really fascinate me in genres I'm not into; around 80% in genres I like. I found them excellent reading for the post-birth period.
You can pick up prior years' editions for pennies used, and I discovered that the publisher is releasing "selections from Best American Series 2012" type things as free ebooks. 2011, also free.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:12 AM on January 1, 2015 [6 favorites]
You can pick up prior years' editions for pennies used, and I discovered that the publisher is releasing "selections from Best American Series 2012" type things as free ebooks. 2011, also free.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:12 AM on January 1, 2015 [6 favorites]
Just reread Snow Crash by Neal Stevenson. ..very fun. Set in the near future of like now I guess but written in the mid 90s "hey everybody let's strap on our goggles and hack into the metaverse!" Heh.
Also do you have a good ereader app on your phone so you can read one handed? I just got moon+ reader (android) very customizable. ..
posted by sexyrobot at 10:12 AM on January 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
Also do you have a good ereader app on your phone so you can read one handed? I just got moon+ reader (android) very customizable. ..
posted by sexyrobot at 10:12 AM on January 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
In fact, anything by Barbara Kingsolver is good for this purpose. I also read her in spurts while breastfeeding my daughter and she served me well.
posted by lydhre at 10:18 AM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by lydhre at 10:18 AM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
Here are some oldies but goodies that should hit all your points:
Daddy Longlegs (link to Amazon but already in public domain so you can get it free via Project Gutenberg if you have an e-reader)
Cold Comfort Farm
Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day
posted by Mchelly at 10:36 AM on January 1, 2015
Daddy Longlegs (link to Amazon but already in public domain so you can get it free via Project Gutenberg if you have an e-reader)
Cold Comfort Farm
Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day
posted by Mchelly at 10:36 AM on January 1, 2015
I liked Kingslover's "The Poisonwood Bible", but I think it might not meet your criteria for a lack of suffering children. I personally found "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" insufferable, but clearly I'm in the minority so you might want to give it a try :)
I just finished a new collection of short stories by Hilary Mantel, "The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher", and found it excellent. Each piece was a very quick read, but had me thinking about it for days (in a good way, not in an "I couldn't understand it" way).
posted by handful of rain at 10:37 AM on January 1, 2015
I just finished a new collection of short stories by Hilary Mantel, "The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher", and found it excellent. Each piece was a very quick read, but had me thinking about it for days (in a good way, not in an "I couldn't understand it" way).
posted by handful of rain at 10:37 AM on January 1, 2015
I'm going to recommend Letters of Note.
Also, it being the holidays I am reminded that I quite enjoy Connie Willis's Miracle and Other Christmas Stories, a non sacharine collection of stories for the season (it is hard to do good holiday stories that are not too sappy, and I would give most of the stories an A or B rating).
posted by gudrun at 10:42 AM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
Also, it being the holidays I am reminded that I quite enjoy Connie Willis's Miracle and Other Christmas Stories, a non sacharine collection of stories for the season (it is hard to do good holiday stories that are not too sappy, and I would give most of the stories an A or B rating).
posted by gudrun at 10:42 AM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Time Travelers Wife. Episodic, romantic, quirky, smart.
posted by alms at 10:49 AM on January 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by alms at 10:49 AM on January 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
Mary Roach. Smart and funny and educational. Packing For Mars might be my favorite, Gulp or her Reader's Digest collection my least favorite; they're all good.
Grace Paley. She wrote her stories under similar situations, which is why her sentences are so short (source: a half-remembered lecture from 16 years ago)
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:49 AM on January 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
Grace Paley. She wrote her stories under similar situations, which is why her sentences are so short (source: a half-remembered lecture from 16 years ago)
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:49 AM on January 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
Er, sorry, my recommended collection has one story you'd want to avoid - might not be a good choice right off the bat, then.
posted by handful of rain at 10:50 AM on January 1, 2015
posted by handful of rain at 10:50 AM on January 1, 2015
I could suggest cozy mysteries that are literary. They have short chapters and they help you remember what was going on without being condescending. The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency series. Also the Agatha Raisin series by M.C. Beaton, and the humorous mysteries by Donna Andrews.
posted by BibiRose at 11:41 AM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by BibiRose at 11:41 AM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
This Book Needs No Title by Raymond Smullyan -- short, fun, insightful philosophical essays.
If you like poetry, try Winter Morning Walks by Ted Kooser.
posted by Perodicticus potto at 12:19 PM on January 1, 2015
If you like poetry, try Winter Morning Walks by Ted Kooser.
posted by Perodicticus potto at 12:19 PM on January 1, 2015
During maternity leave I read all of Dorothy L Sayers, and all of Georgette Heyer (historical romance, but no sex). Especially Heyers is great: no horror, predictable end (always happy), and if you have to stop after a page it is easy to pick up again.
posted by 15L06 at 1:15 PM on January 1, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by 15L06 at 1:15 PM on January 1, 2015 [3 favorites]
I came to recommend anything written by George Saunders, and I still do. But the Ne a yorker magazine is where I discovered him, so what about a magazine subscription? The New Yorker is my personal favorite, and I feel just fine about not reading it cover to cover. In fact, sometimes I just look at the cartoons.
posted by Gusaroo at 3:36 PM on January 1, 2015
posted by Gusaroo at 3:36 PM on January 1, 2015
I mostly read longform.org and the New Yorker (digital) on my most recent maternity leave. I also read a bunch of the Best American ___ Writing for 20XX books from the library, which I see are recommended above.
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 5:00 PM on January 1, 2015
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 5:00 PM on January 1, 2015
Have you ever read "Life on the Mississippi" by Mark Twain? Truly an outstanding book, which can be read in whatever chunks you like. It's in the public domain now.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:48 PM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:48 PM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
P.G. Wodehouse! Delicious writing, funny, addictive, but requires very little mental or emotional energy.
posted by Sheep Who Must Not Be Named at 6:54 PM on January 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Sheep Who Must Not Be Named at 6:54 PM on January 1, 2015 [2 favorites]
Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series comes immediately to mind - and they'll make you laugh and put happy hormones in your baby's breakfast!
If you enjoy goof-ball fantasy, Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series.
Both are funny and lightweight and are something you can pick up and put down and not have to try to figure out later where you were.
Congratulations on the new little one!
posted by aryma at 7:55 PM on January 1, 2015
If you enjoy goof-ball fantasy, Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series.
Both are funny and lightweight and are something you can pick up and put down and not have to try to figure out later where you were.
Congratulations on the new little one!
posted by aryma at 7:55 PM on January 1, 2015
The book Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years - Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times by Elizabeth Wayland Barber is fascinating, accessible, and can be easily read in small chunks.
posted by Lexica at 8:49 PM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Lexica at 8:49 PM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
Seconding Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, as well as her Finishing School series. They are crazy fun!
posted by stampsgal at 11:49 AM on January 2, 2015
posted by stampsgal at 11:49 AM on January 2, 2015
Ruth Goodman's How to be a Victorian is working well for me in short chunks. I'm about 1/3 of the way through and haven't found anything that would be upsetting to the hormonal, although maybe you'd want to skip the chapter on hunger.
posted by The corpse in the library at 2:41 PM on January 2, 2015
posted by The corpse in the library at 2:41 PM on January 2, 2015
Wait wait that was terrible advice from me, and I should know better than to read books I haven't finished. There's a whole chunk on child labor you shouldn't read, plus some other stuff. It's a really good book, but don't look at it for another year or six.
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:45 AM on January 3, 2015
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:45 AM on January 3, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by dawkins_7 at 9:28 AM on January 1, 2015 [4 favorites]